Omaha daily bee., 1887-03-04
Disintegratine Tendencies.

1t cannot be doubted that in the course
of time the British possessions in North
America will declare their independence
of Great Britain. This may not happen
in the next or for several generations,
but it is inevitable that with the growth
of these possessions in population and
wealth, with the succession of people
upon whom the constrants of tradition
and the sentiment of loyalty would rest
very lightly, with the progress of the now
advancing idea of home rule, with the
incentive to independence that comes of
self-consclous power, and with the ex-
ample of the United States constantly
exerted as powerful influence, Great
Britain will sooner or later be compelled
to surrender her colonial possessions on
this continent. Practically imperial con-
troll in the provinces of North America is
now little more than matter of form.
The government of Canada never makes
demand that is not acceded to by the
imperial government. There was no diff.
fculty, and not much delay, in securing
the assent of the crown to the legislation
greatly enlarging the power of the Cana.
dian authorities for seizlng American
vessels, although palpably hostile to the
United States The disposition of Eng
llsh statesmen in recent years has al
ways been manifested in the direction of
cajoling and placatlng the majority SEN
timent of British subjects IN North
America. Otherwise the existing policy
of the Dominion, which antagonizes that
of Great Britain, would not have been
permitted to stand. Otherwise the course
of the Canadian government in relation
to the fishery dispute would not have
been allowed to go to the extremity it
has, compelling this government to
statesmen have for more than genera
ton understood that the price of colonial
loyalty on this continent is concession to
| the colonial sentiment that is in the
majority.
Nevertheless this has not wholly stayed
the progress of the disintegrating ten
dencies They have been growing
steadily, and in some quarters rapidly.
| They are most conspicuous in the mari
time provinces, but they are present in
greater or less degree everywhere. The
more active growth of the spirit of re-
volt against the imperial government in
the maritime provinces is due to the fact
| that they have been made to feel most
severely the displeasure of the loyal ele-
ment that wields the power Their in
terests have been neglected, their rights
ignored, their appeals disregarded, all
by way of Furnishing their past contu.
macy. The effect has certainly been dis
astrous to them. They have suffered
and are suffering, rs the recent
accounts of dcplorable, hardship and
prlvation in Newfoundland and Nova
Scotia amply attest And they are bear
ing disaster and suffering with most ad
mirable courage, while proclaiming with
greater firmness than ever what they be
lieve to be their rights,
The recent address of the Newfound
land legislature to the imperial govern
mept voices the prevailing sentiment in
the maritime provinces, and may prove
to be the first act of most interesting
crisis, in which all OF them will! be in
volved. The one condition against sucf
crisis is of course the comparative help
lessness of these provinces, which arr
not so we'll able relatively to assert anc
maintain their independence as were the
| American colonies, poor as they were
The aggregate population of the mari
time provinces Of the Dominion and New
foundland does not exceed million an
a quarter, and they have few resource
and little credit But the deliberate
stand taken by the people of Newfound
land will not be abandoned without some
sort of struggle, notwithstanding tn
adverse decision OF the COLONIAL secre